Nardoqan

[image:Nardoğan.jpg|thumb|Pomegranate (in Turkish: Nar) thematic table in Nardugan]
Nardoqan or Nardugan was a Turkic holiday concept in Tengriism. Nowadays, it is most commonly used to refer to the winter solstice in many Central Asian and Siberian languages. The holiday is akin, both in terms of timing and also the concept, to Yalda Night. Given the historicity of Turko-Persian ties, and the symbolism of pomegranate fruit among Iranians during Yalda, the two festivities manifestly share origins. It is also used as an equivalent name for the Christian holiday Christmas.

Etymology

The root of the word is not clear. But associated with following words:

Old Turkic : Nar – The Sun
Mongolian: Нар – The Sun
Oirat: Нарн – The Sun

And Turkic verb Doğmak merged and combined with this root. Also it means the "Newborn Sun".
The term 'Nar' bears a symbolic reference to the sun, especially due to the white seeds.